| Picture Archiving and Communication Systems | | | | improve decision making and subsequent diagnosis |
| commonly known as PACS , enable medical | | | | and it can also reduce the need foradditional |
| images such as x-rays and digital scans to be | | | | testing. Moving from film to digital exams helps |
| stored in a film-less environment and to be | | | | healthcare providers to improve efficiency, reduce |
| visualized on screens, so that healthcare providers | | | | errors, and it also eliminates the costs related to |
| can access the image and patient information | | | | hard film processing and storage and saves |
| across a network and compare it with previous | | | | valuable space currently used for storage. PACS |
| images easily . It is used by physicians, hospitals, | | | | enables healthcare professionals to access the |
| clinics and imaging centers to improve diagnostic | | | | right information at the right time in the right place |
| methods and to achieve operational efficiency. | | | | and is intended to lead to more efficient patient |
| PACS helps to automate, assemble and improve | | | | diagnosis. This is the criteria for many hospitals |
| work-flow by providing instant access to patient | | | | and doctors to decide to implement PACS. |
| information, images and other related documents. | | | | Today, many healthcare providers worldwide |
| What is PACS? | | | | offers PACS solutions that are used by hospitals |
| PACS is a software system that sits on a | | | | and other imaging centers. The following are the |
| networked hardware infrastructure that includes | | | | major advantages of RIS/PACS |
| servers, workstations and a connecting network. | | | | * Reduced number of duplicate images because |
| PACS enables medical images from modalities | | | | of the electronically saved data. |
| such as MRI, CT, X-Ray to be stored alongside | | | | * Quick and improved access to patient data |
| patient identification data. PACS vendors tend to | | | | * Patient information can be transmitted over the |
| sell the software component of the system and | | | | web and hence it can be shared with any |
| integrators then providethe necessary skills and | | | | number of healthcare experts |
| consultancy services to install alongside hardware. | | | | * Eliminates the costs associated with hard copy |
| What is RIS? | | | | reports |
| Radiology Information Systems (RIS) are | | | | * Reduced time as a result of paperless |
| computerized systems for radiology departments | | | | environment |
| to manage internal departmental processes. In | | | | * Speedier and more effective patient care |
| order to organize the clinical work flow, the ideal | | | | * Reduced turnaround time for report dictation |
| management and integration of patient | | | | The Leading PACS Companies |
| information is crucial. Radiology centres often | | | | Medical InsightA/S |
| deploy both PACS and RIS systems at the same | | | | Carestream Health, Inc. |
| time and a key determinant of their success is | | | | DR Systems, Inc. |
| the integration of the two together such that RIS | | | | Merge Healthcare |
| data and PACS data is presented and organized | | | | NovaRad Corporation |
| seamlessly. | | | | PACSGEAR |
| The Use of PACS | | | | RamSoft, Inc. |
| The availability of previous medical images of a | | | | TeraRecon, Inc. |
| patient to a healthcare professional helps to | | | | |